The Embree Family Love Story

Before Steven and I were married, we talked about the hopes we had for our future children, and adoption was a large part of that conversation.  We shared a passion for adoption, a passion that only grew when we took a family trip to China in 2011. During this trip we visited the city of Luoyang and spent time at Maria’s Big House of Hope, a beautiful medical facility started by the Steven Curtis Chapman family. All the young children who live at Maria’s Big House of Hope have special needs of some sort, and here they are able to receive the medical care they need to be as healthy as possible. This was one of our first experiences spending time with children with special needs, and we realized that it isn’t scary. A child with “special needs” is still just that – a child – and their need doesn’t change their desire to be loved and cherished.  In the brief time spent here, our hearts were so moved with love for these children, and that experience really solidified for us that blood doesn’t determine love.
We also traveled to Xi’an, China, where we spent time with older children waiting for forever families.  This was an incredible time, because it made us more aware that there are children of all ages in need of families. This was where we met our soon-to-be brother and sister for the first time. On this same trip, we met and spent time with a precious little girl, Maelie. We wanted more than anything to make her a part of our family, but at that time we did not meet the requirement set by China that both parents be over the age of 30. We spent time researching and speaking to authorities about our situation, only to learn there are never exceptions to the parental age limit. It was really difficult to wrap our minds around this, but this thought kept going through my head, “where God guides, He provides.”  This was such a strong and specific statement that I even wrote it down in a journal. The story was far from over.

A little over a month later, my parents called with the news that they were in the process of adopting a young girl from China – the very same girl, Maelie, who had captured our hearts.  Taking things a step further, because that’s just how God is, He moved my parents to adopt a little boy shortly after that. This was a little boy that my younger brother, Joey, had connected with on that same trip, in a way similar to Steven and I.  This was a pivotal moment for us, realizing that God’s plans are so perfect, His timing is always right, and where He guides, He always provides.
The time leading up to our own decision to adopt has been filled with both celebration and sorrow.  A few years ago, we felt ready to expand our family.  Shortly after, we found out I was pregnant with twin boys.  Such excitement followed, with a little bit of fear, and a whole lot of faith.  Fifteen weeks before their due date, our boys made their appearance in the world.  It was a scary, emotional, miraculous and Spirit-filled journey, and after 81 days in the NICU our miracles came home tiny, but healthy.  We learned many things through that experience, the most important of which is that God holds us in the palm of His incredibly capable hands, and His timing is perfect.
Just a few weeks after our boys were born, my brother Joey passed away suddenly. Even as we grieved, we saw God’s love working miracles. Although God took my biological brother Joey home, it is because of Joey that our family has my brother through adoption, Jayden.  You see, when we took our family trip to China in 2011, Joey met a little boy and they had an instant connection.  Joey advocated for that little boy’s adoption into our family, and over the course of the next few months God moved in my parents’ hearts to not only adopt NAME, but also to adopt Jayden. Through Joey, God gave Jayden a home, and even though we still grieve loss of Joey deeply, we do not grieve without hope.
Once we had the boys and they began to grow into the little toddlers that they are today, Stefanie and I (Steven) would have regular conversations about what our family was ultimately going to look like. In my mind I still knew at some point we would adopt, and the question for us became, “are we going to have more biological children before we begin the adoption process?” During one of these conversations about our future, it was apparent to both of us that we were in the same place. All the barriers that had seemed to stand in the way vanished, and it was clear that we were ready to adopt. God put us on the same page at the same time, and it was a really beautiful thing.

We strongly feel God is calling us to expand our family, and this time it is through the miracle of adoption. Our family is ready to welcome another little one! We have a very supportive family, group of friends, and church family.  We know many families who have adopted children, both domestically and internationally.  We also have friends who are actively involved in foster care.  I think most importantly, we have strong support from our families and we know that they will love all of our children equally, regardless of how they become a part of our family.

We have waited patiently, yet anxiously, for this moment to arrive, and we are so excited it is here!  Our hearts have been ready for years, and God has told us yes. He has opened door after door, and we are so excited to step through those doors, in faith, and have another child.  We pray that our journey will inspire others and start conversations about God’s greatness and the beauty of adoption.
Thanks for being here! Join us as the next part of the story unfolds.